Free Agency and Injury report week 14 2019

By Kyle Dvorchak
Kyle Dvorchak

Ryan Griffin Goes Down


Ryan Griffin was in the midst of a breakout season but that came to a halt on Sunday. Griffin suffered an ankle injury and did not return. The Jets play on Thursday this week so it's unlikely that Griffin is able to get healthy in time to suit up.

Daniel Brown is Griffin's backup but he registered his third catch of the season on Sunday. Don't expect much from him going forward.

Jamison Crowder and Robby Anderson as the major beneficiaries of Griffin's injury. Anderson put up a 7-116-1 line, his best outing of the season, while Crowder was quiet with just three catches.

Because Griffin's average depth of target of 5.5 is much closer to Crowder's (7.8) than it is to Anderson's (15.4), his absence should free up targets that will primarily be going to Crowder.

Next week Crowder and the Jets travel to Baltimore on Thursday. It's a difficult matchup but the negative game script makes Crowder a viable flex play.

Mike Evans Unlikely for Week 15

Mike Evans injured his hamstring while scoring on a 61-yard bomb from Jameis Winston. Bruce Arians indicated that it's unlikely we'll see him take the field next week. The initial reports indicate that this could even be the end of Evan's season.

Chris Godwin is in an absolute smash spot against a struggling Lions secondary. You're obviously starting him in season-long and he'll be a consideration for cash games in DFS as well.

Breshad Perriman will take over as the second receiver for Tampa Bay and he was already getting decent run with Evans in the lineup.

Scott Miller has been banged up over the past three weeks which has freed up targets for Perriman. In Weeks 12-14 Perriman has a 9-201-1 line.

The only thing holding Perriman back is Justin Watson. Watson has been dealing with an injury this season but finished the day with five catches for 59 yards and a score.

Miami Continues to Lose Receivers

DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson both left Sunday's game with concussions. Neither was able to return. Neither injury is likely to be a long-term issue but either receiver could be sidelined next week.

Allen Hurns would be the only receiver worth looking at if both receivers are out next week. Hurns led the team with eight targets and 74 air yards.

Mike Gesicki has been getting consistent volume throughout the second half of this season and there are no signs of that slowing now. He's an every-week starter at tight end.

Jared Cook Goes Down After Balling Out

With two early scores, Jared Cook was on his way to a slate braking performance. On his second score, Cook suffered a concussion and did no return.

Even in a game that saw Drew Brees attempt 40 passes, Josh hill saw just three targets. A score buoyed his lack of volume.

Cook's absence forced Brees to spread the ball around more instead of keying in on his backup tight end. Nine Saints caught passes but only Michael Thomas caught more than four balls.

Calvin Ridley's 2019 Comes to an End

Calvin Ridley suffered an abdominal injury and needs surgery to repair it. The surgery will keep him sidelined for the remainder of 2019.

Even with Ridley out, Julio Jones was only targeted eight times and recorded just 66 receiving yards. He's still worth starting but Austin Hooper's breakout has been he factor hampering Julio's production this year. As long as he's healthy, Julio is a WR2.

Christian Blake and Olamide Zaccheaus are expected to split the third-receiver role for Atlanta. Zaccheaus scored on a 93-yard bomb from Matt Ryan. If Zaccheaus were to get a full-time role he would worth a roster spot. However, until his, or Blake's role becomes more clear, both can be left on the waiver wire.

Rashaad Penny Possibly Done for the Year

Rashaad Penny left Sunday night with a knee injury and the fear is that he suffered a significant ACL injury.

Chris Carson has played four games with Rashaad Penny inactive this season. He's averaged 20.5 carries and 3 receptions in those games. That's an extra 1.9 carries and .5 receptions compared to the games Penny has played in.

Carson would be in line to close out another successful year in Seattle if Penny is indeed done. He's struggled with fumbling issues this year that were part of the reason Penny got more involved at times. With that risk out of the picture, it's all systems go for Carson.

Derrius Guice with Another Knee Injury

Derrius Guice continues to be plagued with knee injuries but the good news is that it looks like just an MCL sprain. Washington would be smart to rest him until he's fully recovered, even if that means ending his season.

Guice has struggled with knee injuries dating back to his time at LSU and there's no need for him to play in a lost season for the team.

Until he returns, Adrian Peterson will get back to the heavy-usage role he had earlier in the year. Peterson, 34, has shown some spark this season. Even on a dismal Washington offense, he's averaging 4.4 yards per carry and has four games of 99 yards from scrimmage. Be sure to check the waiver wire in case Guice's presence led Peterson's owner to cut him prematurely.

D.J. Chark Scoots Out of Week 14

D.J. Chark exited his game versus the Chargers with an ankle injury and did not return. He was spotted on a scooter after the game and is considered week to week. It seems unlikely that he'll suit up this week.

Dede Westbrook and Chris Conley would both benefit from Chark missing time. However, Conley plays a much closer role to Chark than Westbrook does. Westbrook runs short routes and lines up almost exclusively in the slot. Conley plays outside and runs routes with an average depth of 14.4. Chark has an aDOT of 11.9 while Wetsbrook's aDOT sits at 6.5.

The Jags defense has collapsed in recent weeks leading to their offense passing from behind early and often. Combine that with a new role in the offense and Conley should be a solid fantasy player to close out the season.

The Eagles Lose...Everyone

Philadelphia lost all of their players on Monday night versus the Giants Zach Ertz did what he always does with a 9-91-2 line but two other players had noteworthy games as well.

Boston Scott dominated in all phases of the game with 59 yards on the ground and 69 yards through the air. The performance should earn him an increased role going forward, especially with the mounting injuries in Philly.

Greg Ward was not as impressive, going for 34 yards on four catches, but he was the only active receiver for the Eagles to finish the game. The Eagles will be signing veterans and calling up practice squad player in the coming days but for now, Ward is a very interesting target off the waiver wire.

Other Tight End Injuries

There were a few less meaningful injuries at tight end.

Mark Andrews left with a knee injury and did not return but Baltimore does not believe it to be serious. In his absence, Nick Boyle and Hayden Hurst operated a tight end by committee where both saw three targets. The duo eats into each other production too much to allow either to be viable outside of very deep leagues.

Vance McDonald left with a concussion and did not return. Vance has been at his worst this season in recent weeks despite the fact that Juju Smith-Schuster has been out. He hasn't topped 33 yards or scored in his past five games. Feel free to cut him if you're still in the playoffs.

Foster Moreau suffered a knee injury that will sideline him through the end of the season. He wasn't a threat for fantasy purposes but his loss could benefit Darren Waller. Moreau has five scores on the year and if Waller can add some touchdown equity to his repertoire, he'll crush the final weeks of 2019.